


Your heart is dripping gold

by vietatofumare



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, My First Fanfic, Please be gentle, Romance, Slow Build, aomine is a cinnamon roll, aomine's parents are dicks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-01 18:13:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10195985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vietatofumare/pseuds/vietatofumare
Summary: It's not like Aomine is a bad person, it's just that he never met someone that makes him want to be a good one. Then he meets him, and everything goes brighter.





	1. chap 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey people! This is my first fic ever and I just don't know if this is worth posting, so yeah, I just wanted to say that there are going to be present some not really nice scene (possibly including drug use or violence. I don't think anyone here minds good sex). So please, just remember I am an emotional person while you comment, if you want to. Enjoy!

Aomine walked trough the streets of the worst neighborhood of the city, the one he lived in. The shady alleys and the occasional cat gave him an even worse vibe than the one today gave him. He was feeling lazy, and utterly unmotivated to go to the basketball practice he should have attended. Momoi was going to give him hell for this, but today, today was a special day, so he didn’t care: his dad would finish his time in jail tonight, and was going to come home again, and ruin his and his mother’s life once again. They were peaceful years, the ones without his father constantly yelling at him or beating him (or trying to: as soon as Aomine was big and strong enough to get away running he did, so it had been a handful of time since his last beating) but now they were going to fall again in this cycle where his mother was to scared to tell somebody their domestic situation, his father was going to drink himself to sleep every night, and Daiki didn’t give enough of a shit to warn someone who could help them. He couldn’t, even if he wanted to: if he turned to the police, he would never hear the end of it for the drugs he made recreational use of, and if he talked to child welfare, they would put him in foster care, in a family possibly worse than his, and most likely move him in another part of the city. He didn’t want that, he had his friends here, not great people, sure, but still. Someone who didn’t judge him for what he did, or what his family was like. So yeah. He didn’t particularly like the idea of his dad coming back after two years of prison for armed robbery, but he was fine with his life as it was. This was just another shitty event piling up on the others in his shitty life. He could live with it. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t upset, and feeling put off about every duty he should have had accomplished today. Named, practice (school didn’t even count as a duty). Basketball was probably the only thing that still interested him, even if just a little, even if that little bit of liking he felt for it was quickly fading away. Not really fun if nobody can beat you, is it? Other marginal interests were to find his fair dose of pot every week, possibly a few pills to loosen up when he went clubbing, find new and unknown musical artists, have a conspicuous number of pornographic magazines, and the monthly tournaments of street basketball that were held in the neighborhood court. If he had trouble finding money for his stuff, he would just pickpocket some stupid rich boy that choose the wrong street to hang out in. Namely, what he was going to do just now. He was walking in a pretty isolated road, but one posh boys often frequented because they felt cool. He picked his pray, some city boy that was currently enjoying his meal at the local McD, sitting outside on a bench. He observed the guy: tall, built, red headed. Not extremely good looking, but with a certain aura of confidence and kindness at the same time that could be confused for sex appeal. His face wasn’t utterly unpleasant, that also. He got closer. Looking from here, just a few feet form the boy, Aomine noticed that the quantity of food that rested in the guy’s lap was absurd. At least three Big Macs and probably something else were occupying the space upon the boy’s legs. _Dude,_ Daiki thought, _if that guy has the money to buy all that fucking food, he won’t mind give some of them to me._ He fished a cigarette out of his pocket, and brought it to his lips in a slow but elegant motion. He shouldn’t have smoked, since he played basket, but he didn’t give a fuck, so. The guy was looking at him. When their gazes met, the boy blushed and looked the other way. Aomine wanted to laugh. He walked right over to the bench, dragging on his cigarette and once again meeting the eyes of his victim, he said, with his most friendly and I-am-not-a-bad-person-I-just-want-to-help voice: “Hey man. I think your wallet fell right there, behind the bench. Is that yours?”

And damn, he knew he had a nice voice, but hell, that guy’s face was reddening like it was on fire. The boy got up like someone put chili pepper under his butt and murmured: “T-Thanks, yeah, it’s probably mine, I think.”

He turned around and bent to see over the seatback, and Aomine didn’t waste any time, seeing the boy’s wallet peak out of his jeans pocket just as he bended. _Nice ass,_ was all Daiki permitted himself to think before his hand slipped in the guy’s pocket to take the wallet, and he started to run with all his might towards the other side of the street. He heard a faint voice behind him yelling “Hey! _Hey!_ You _asshole!_ Stop! Give me back my wallet!”

The other guy was trying to chase him, but Aomine was to far away already, and he just thought it would have been fun to tease the shy boy without reason, so he pulled down his pants showing his – _amazing-_ ass, and screamed “Bye, fucknut!”, before he pulled them up again and started running faster. When he was sure he was safe, he stopped, sitting on a bench in the park he found himself in, and taking the wallet to open it and found out what he stole from the redhead. _Quite a lot of money_ , he thought counting at least fifty dollars in the fancy wallet. _Plus a credit card and documents. Hope I didn’t ruin his life too much._ He didn’t know the code for the credit card, so it was useless. He opened the ID card, only to watch at a horrible photo of a younger and slightly distorted redhead. _Jeez. Really nobody can come out cool in an ID photo, huh. Not even rich people._ Paying more attention to the details, he noticed what his victim’s name was. _Kagami Taiga. Not really an appropriated name for a stupid coward._ He sneered, putting the wallet in his rear pocket and transferring the money in his own billfold. It probably was time to check his phone, to see if Satsuki was going to contact the police because he wasn’t answering the phone. Needless to say, his home was obstructed by his best friend messages, all about him being a horrible person for not caring for his education and ditching school. He send her a reassuring text saying that he was fine, and sorry for not warning her, and could her please send him the notes she took today? Not that he really cared about notes, but surely it was a good move to bring Satsuki back on his side. He checked the time: almost three in the afternoon, he still had time before he had to go home and assure himself that that drunkard of his father wouldn’t hurt his mother, whom, even being a toxic slut, was still a kind woman, and his mom. With the time he had and the money he had just stolen, he decided that it wouldn’t have been a bad idea if he called his dealer to relax a little before the horrible night that waited for him. He composed the number and waited. _Tuu tuu. Tuu tuu. “Hello?”_

A voice on the other line answered. “Hi. It’s Aomine. Think ya have twenty minutes fer me in the next half ‘n hour?”

“ _Dunno, man. Can send you my friend at the park if ya okay with not first quality crap.”_

_Shit. Just what I needed. Fuck it, it’ll do its job._

“Yeah, fine. This is the last time tho, or next time Imma call Haizaki, ya hear me?”

“ _If you wanna smoke his shit dude, be mah guest.”_

Aomine inwardly sneered, knowing the shade of annoyance in the other’s voice at the mention of the other dealer of the area, and the fact that the next time he called he would be rewarded with an apology surplus. Hanamiya was a lazy ass, but he wasn’t stupid enough to let go a good client like Daiki was.

“No need to get upset. Just do your job next time. Imma meet yer friend in a couple minutes. That fine?”

“ _’Course. Your choice.”_

_I know it’s mine._ Aomine thought. He ended the call and started walking towards the park he usually met his dealer at. When he got there, he found a giant boy waiting for him leaning on a tree.

“Are you Hanamiya’s friend?” Aomine asked.

“It would appear that I am, wouldn’t it?”

The guy answered, with a big smile. _What a stoner face._

“…Yeah. So where’s my stuff?”

“Oh, straight to the point. I’ve got it right here.” The guy turned around to put a hand in his pants and than again to make Aomine see what he purchased from just under his dick. _Wow, weed that smells like balls. Isn’t this just my day?_

Aomine took the pot and he looked at it, seeing that instead of the two grams he asked on the phone, there were at least three in his palm, covered in a transparent piece of plastic. A little surprised, he looked at the guy in front of him, who smiled in a goofy way.

“Hanamiya really isn’t stupid, y’know? I’m Kyoshi Teppei, by the way.”

_Well, than maybe something good is actually coming from this shitty day._ “Well, tell him that I appreciate it, Teppei, he’s not loosing a client anytime soon.”

After handing the money to the freakishly tall young man, Daiki turned and was heading out of the park, when Teppei’s voice stopped him on his tracks.

“Well, then, I guess I’ll see you on the court next month.”

Aomine turned toward the smiling guy. _The hell?_

“And why’s that?” He answered.

“Ain’t you Aomine Daiki? The incredible Touou bb player?”

Mildly annoyed by the way he was addressed with, Aomine responded with a harsh tone: “I am. And who the fuck are you to know it?”

The other chuckled. “I’m a Seirin player. Y’know, the new high school near the city center? Well, it appears like we are going to challenge each other in next month schools tournament. Didn’t you check the teams you are going to play against?”

“No, not really. Well, good to know. See ya.”

The other childishly waved, and Aomine finally made his way to the park exit. _Weirdo._

He decided he would head to the library’s roof, which was always empty and perfect to smoke a joint. At least he got to relax a little before he had to face his lovely daddy. Setting an alarm on his phone, so he could get home before his father did, he rolled his joint and smoked it, thinking about the redhead he had robbed. _He really had a nice ass._ He dozed off.

 

 

Daiki angrily watched the ceiling of his room, trying to compose himself in a normal human being again. His father, _that man_ , he just drove him nuts. His face made him want to punch it, his stinky breath felt like gasoline in the air, toxic and poisonous. Needless to say, dinner didn’t went well: his mother put all the effort in it, she even cooked and set the table, but that _bastard_ just ruined everything he touched. By the time he got home he was already drunk, and he had been out of prison for like, three hours. At first it seemed like he was trying to be nice, hugging his mother and even trying to hug Daiki, telling him how much he grew, what a handsome young man he was becoming… then someone said something wrong, that triggered him into his violent self. He tried to smash a bottle on his wife, but Daiki was quicker and managed to get it on his arm, that now hurt like a bitch. _Why do I always have to hurt myself to protect those two? Why can’t they just be normal people?_ Because as much as his father was a drunkard, his mother ran in the bathroom to take a few valiums right after the incident, not even caring for Daiki’s bleeding arm. His father instead, just headed out, probably to the nearest strip club. _Fuck it,_ Daiki thought, he was just going to go out himself, so he could smoke a little more. With difficulty he managed to get his jacket on (a real piece of art if you asked him, red with a panther on the back. He was really proud of it), and to descend the stairs from his room to the kitchen, where the door was. He left the house, trying to ignore the pain in his arm. The blood was already surfacing on the jacket, meaning he would have to wash it, but he really couldn’t bring himself to care. He made his way to the local playground, where he sat on the seesaw, trying to grind his weed with only an arm –and also partially succeeded. But obviously, life would have been just too good if he could smoke his joint without being disturbed right? Just after he lit it he heard a voice behind shout.

“YOU MOTHERFUCKER!”

Daiki lazily turned his head only to see the person that he least expected to see, and that the most had the right to yell at him those words. The redhead he robbed that very day was looking at him from the other side of the fence, with a super angry expression painted on his face. Daiki groaned, and turned again hoping that the heavy steps he was hearing coming in his direction were just a creation of his fervid imagination. Obviously, they were true, and he had to acknowledge them when an obviously furious redhead positioned himself in front of him, already bringing a hand to grab Daiki’s collar to shout in his face.

“Give me back my fucking wallet, asshole!”

Daiki really couldn’t handle this right now, and he was traying very hard not to flinch from the lancinating pain that shot up his arm from the sudden motion, so he just stayed put in his place, placidly replying to the angry dude in front of him: “Okay, okay, I have it right here, if ya let go I’ll give it back to you”

The redhead seemed put off by his answer, but quickly recovering he responded with an annoyed tone.

“Fine. I hope for you it’s true.” He let go.

Daiki slowly brought his good arm to retrieve the wallet from his rear pocket, where it had been all afternoon. He took it out and handed it to the redhead, who seemed even more surprised that Daiki wasn’t a liar.

“Here” Said Daiki.

The other diffidently took it, then he opened it.

“Everything’s there, don’t worry.”

The redhead ignored him and checked anyway. Daiki saw him go from red to green, passing trough various shades in the meantime.

_“Minus the MONEY!”_ he screamed with all his might, right in Daiki’s face, but instead of a stinky whiff, he was invested with a gust that smelled like mint.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. I spent it.”

“What the _fuck_!”

“Bud, I stole your wallet for a reason”

“Fuck you, you …fucking fuck!”

“Wow, what a vocabula-“ Daiki couldn’t finish the sentence, because a flying fist came right to his face sending him on the ground behind the swing, where he landed right on his left arm, the one he got the bottle crushed on. This time, he couldn’t hold back a grunt of pain, and even after that he really couldn’t move for a few seconds. When he tried to roll on his other side to take the weight off his injured arm –and also to try to find his lost joint- he had to suck in his breath. After a few other second of stillness, in which the sharp pain dulled, he got up only to face a fairly shocked redhead that asked with a shaky voice: “Is… is that blood?”

“I’m afraid so, yeah”

“Your arm is… _covered_ in blood”, the other said, looking slightly panicked. “ _I did not_ do that.”

“Yeah, I don’t think you could’ve had even if you wanted to”, Daiki replied. “Your punch was like a feather.”

“What… what the hell happened to you?!”

Daiki, seeing that his attempt to change the subject wasn’t working, decided to use a more straightforward approach.

“It’s none of your fucking business” he said with a hard voice. “I gave you back your freaking wallet, now get the fuck lost.”

“I… I think you should go to the hospital and-” Daiki lost it.

“Oh yeah! What a _brilliant_ idea! And when they ask me what the fuck happened I just have to tell them that my fucking father stabbed me with a broken bottle! So they will call the freaking social services, they’ll put me in fucking foster care, where I will find a super lovingly fucking family, _for sure_! Oh, you’re so _smart_! Why didn’t I go to the hospital _right fucking away_!”

Daiki panted, drained from the effort of all that yelling. He sat on the swing again. _Here it is!_ He bent to pick up the joint, he lit it again and he brought it to his lips. Only then, taking a long drag of his spliff, he looked up to the redhead again. _Why the fuck did I say all of that shit? Well done, Daiki, now you officially are a fucking crying-on-myself-pansy._ The redhead was still like stone, still shocked from the outburst.

“Ya can breath, y’know.”

That seemed to unblock the guy, who sighed and with Daiki’s enormous surprise, sat on the swing next to his.

“I’m sorry for what your father did to you.” He said quietly.

“Not your fault, not mine, nobody here needs you to apology.”

“Yeah, but still… I feel sorry. You know, I used to think my dad is a dick, because shortly, he sent me to live alone in another country when I was fifteen because he didn’t want to take care of me, but after seeing what are like… other dads, mine just seems like a nice person.” He chuckled.

“Must’ve been shitty. Don’t compare our fathers, mine is just in another category. What you suffered for might not be the same _I_ suffered for, but still. You _suffered._ ” There was a bit of silence, in which Daiki quietly asked himself why tonight was he feeling so talkative. _Must be the weed._

“…Wow. You know, you wouldn’t expect to be lectured on father-son relationships by a guy that robbed you and showed you his ass while doing it.” The redhead said with a smirk.

“Well, fuck you. I’m a smart person.”

“Yeah sure, especially while you smoke pot.”

“It’s fucking recreational use, and I really don’t know why am I telling you, this is none of your business!”

“You also just poured your heart contents in front of me.”

“I _did not_!”

“Think what you want.”

Daiki choose not to answer that, because he was _freakishly_ smart, and he knew that would just led to an argument. Also, he felt like he could collapse any moment now. He took a moment to observe the redhead that sat just next to him: a street light enlightened his face, making clear that not only he _was_ sexy as hell –instead of what Daiki thought the first time he saw him- but that his eyes were the same color as his hair: red, an intense, burning, dark red. Just as those fiery red eyes turned towards him he felt the darkness surround him, and in a matter of moments he blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And please, I am not a native english speaker, so if you notice any error point it out so I can fix them :) (also, I'm still learning about this site, so this note was supposed to go under the other one, and I'm not understanding why it's not)


	2. Chapter 2

Taiga was walking towards the station, when a familiar jacket and a spurt of blue hair catched his attention. When he realized he was watching the robber that just previously in the day had stolen his wallet from him quietly swinging on a seesaw, smoking pot and watching the stars, he couldn’t resist the urge to head over there and punch him with all his might. He usually wasn’t a violent guy, but _dude,_ that guy not only tricked and robbed him, he also showed Kagami his _ass_! That just wasn’t cool. But after a few words with the robber, he just felt like a horrible person: the guy was about to bleed out from a wound on his arm, an injury that his _father_ inflicted on him. _And I thought I had the worst pop._  

When the guy passed out on him, he was at loss about what to do: he would have brought him to the hospital, but the other had made clear that that wasn’t a good idea, so he resolved himself to just bring him at his house and just deal with the situation when the guy would woke up. Since the boy was pretty built, and also taller than Taiga himself, he decided to call a cab to bring him to his flat. He ignored the taxi driver’s judging look. He slowly managed to bring the heavy dead weight up the stairs and finally trough the door, where he just dumped the body on the couch. Then he thought that if the guy wouldn’t have wanted to go to the hospital, someone had to treat that injury. It was obvious he couldn’t let him bleed out on his couch, so Taiga resolved himself to be that someone. _Man, this wound is harsh,_ the redhead thought while he bandaged the robber’s injured arm. He really couldn’t bring himself not to care, and his gentle soul just had to make him take care of the young man. 

Luckily, he had a first aid kit in his bathroom, that he purchased under Kuroko’s advice, Taiga’s teammate -an incredibly quiet and reserved guy, but also very smart. He now silently thanked him for not leaving him unprepared in this kind of situation. _Not that this is a particularly common one._ Kagami finished to bandage the boy’s arm, and while he was at it, he took a better look at his robber: the guy had fine blue locks gently falling on his forehead, and sharp lineaments that gave him a though but sexy look. He also noticed that the lean muscles that covered the robber’s body where toned, and his skin was deliciously brown, like of dark shade of caramel. 

He instantly blushed for what he thought. It wasn’t a secret that Taiga liked boys better than girls, _but it isn’t an excuse for mentally harassing a guy that is in obvious need of help!_ He sighed, watching the guy sprawled across his couch faintly breathing. What was he supposed to do now? He thought it would have been a smart decision to bring him in his home, but after all this dude was a thief, and Taiga’s soft heart prevented him from leaving him in the streets again, were there was nothing but violence waiting for the guy. _He looks so cute while he’s sleeping_ , he thought, _no trace of the big bad criminal now, huh?_  

While brainstorming, Kagami put himself to work, he had to finish some homework anyway, and it would’ve just helped him not to think too much about the total stranger that was soundly sleeping on his sofa. He decided he would just let him sleep there for the night and kick him out in the morning. He would forget about the stolen cash and stop minding about other people business. He finished the essay he had to do for his next grammar class, which was on monday, and he got up to make something to eat for himself since he hadn’t had nothing since midday. _A few teriyaki burgers will do._

His gaze fell again on the navy haired boy. Maybe he was hungry? Should Taiga wake him to make sure he was fine? _Damn._ He took a pan and started heating the oil, thinking and thinking about what he should have done about the bleeding teenager. He couldn’t even get to the part where he would have to change the blood stained t-shirt the robber was wearing, that he heard a grunt coming from the sleeping body on the couch. He quickly made his way trough the living room (not that it took him all of that time, his flat was forty meters square) to find a stirring and yawning dark skinned boy, looking like a lazy big cat who just woke up form a nap under the sun. His mind was so focused on the toned body that he almost missed the words coming out of those sinfully round lips.

“What the _hell_?” The boy was looking around, clearly confused  by his surroundings, frowning and murmuring curses till his gaze fell on a still zoned out Kagami: his eyes narrowed and in a matter of second he was up and crouching in a self defense position.

“The fuck am I doing here?” The boy snarled.

“I… uhh, I brought you here after you kind of collapsed on the swing, you know, I couldn’t really leave you there and you made it clear about the hospital thing so… this is kinda my place?” Just as he finished Taiga wanted to punch his own face. _What the fuck am I saying? Now he thinks I’m a creep for bringing him here!_

“Huh” Was all he got as a response. “Is that teriyaki burgers you’re cooking?”

“Yeah?…” _Why does everything I say sounds like a question?!_

“Can I have some? Didn’t really eat dinner.” Taiga, not really understanding the questions right away, remained astonished for a few seconds, before giving a stuttering and surprised answer: “Y-Yeah, of course! I made to many anyway…”

“Cool” The guy walked towards the kitchen table and comfortably sat on a chair, looking around like he owned the place. Taiga was struggling, trying not to look too much at the boy. He hadn’t really noticed before, but the guy had stunning blue eyes, a shade lighter than his hair: they were scrolling around the room with a disinterested but alert gaze, passing trough everything they met. They finally landed on the most still thing in the room, Taiga’s body, which the boy was _sure_ was flaming red. _How could I not blush with a look like that scanning my poor body! Why did I miss my push ups this morning?_

“Aomine Daiki, by the way.” The young man’s deep voice filled the room for a few seconds, leaving Taiga at a complete loss of what the other had said. _Not gonna blame myself for carefully listening to_ that. _It was sinful._

“ ‘M sorry, what?” Responded Kagami trying to push his blush back down.

“My name. Seemed like you wanted to know but weren’t going to ask.” A playful smirk made his way on the robber’s full lips, definitely stopping Taiga’s heart.

“Oh, okay” he managed to respond, deliberately choosing to ignore the teasing part. “Cool. I’m Kagami Taiga. Is your arm any better?”

“Yeah, thanks, but the bandaging sucks, did you do it?” _I’m sorry, what?_ A wave of annoying disappointment flooded to Taiga’s head. _I thought it was pretty good._ Without being able to stop himself, he bitterly replied.

“I did, as a matter of fact. And it would be kind of yours to thank me, since I could have left you on the park playground bleeding out.” Taiga almost regretted saying those harsh words, but he immediately stopped doing that when the other opened his mouth once again.

“You could’ve done that. Who asked you to help me?” _I’m sorry._ What _?_

“Nobody, you _cock._ I’m a normal person, and I thought it would have been kind to bring you somewhere were you could have your injuries treated. Sorry for saving your ass from a really bad infection, won’t do that another time.” Taiga stomped his feet till he got to the cupboard, from which he took just one plate and one glass, then he took a fork and a knife from the dishwasher and he sat at the table, still with a frown marking his forehead. Wondering, but not complaining, why the so-called _Aomine_ was finally shutting up, he raised his head only to see an extremely annoyed and confused face staring at him.

“What?” He asked to the blue haired guy.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Just one plate?”

“You’re not eating.”

“I’m not eating?”

“None of my food, no.”

“What, _why_?” Aomine whined, finally catching up.

“ _Because,_ you’re being an asshole! I am not helping you if this is what’s gonna be the aftermath.” Kagami tried not to look too much at those piercing blue eyes, that seemed so hurt. _You break my heart,_ those eyes said. _Well, you two are making my entire existence more complicated just for the the fact that you’re looking at me. So gorgeous and so assholish at the same time, what a shame._ He got up, heading to the stove and retrieving four burgers from the pan, everything while subtly watching Aomine to see what his reaction would have been like. Of all that could be possible, the least that he expected was just the one that had to come from the blue haired boy: a loud grumble resounded in the kitchen, confusing Taiga for a moment. He just had the time to see Aomine’s flaming face before he realized that that hollowed sound came from no less than the navy haired robber’s belly. He looked at the guy for a second, before his resolution melted like snow in the sun and he dejectedly took another plate from the cupboard, filled it with two burgers and placed it before the guy.

“Thanks.” Was the only murmured sign of gratefulness he received.

“I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing it to respect to my neighbors so they can sleep without being woke up by an elephant trumpeting.”

“Yeah, you keep telling that to yourself, you big softie.”

“Don’t call me a softie!”

“Softie.”

“Don’t _do_ that!”

“I want more burgers.”

 

——

 

While they continued to tease and taunt each other an hour passed, and they finished their meal, which left them full and sated. They lazily moved to the living room, were they sprawled themselves on the couch, knees almost touching but not quite, much to Taiga’s displeasure.

“Say” Aomine started. “Do you mind lending me a phone? I should probably call Satsuki.”

“Yeah, of course.” Answered Kagami while passing him the phone. _Who the fuck is Satsuki?_ Satsuki was a girl name. If Aomine had to call her did it mean she was his girlfriend? He never mentioned one during the evening, but that didn’t mean anything: Kagami had been really careful about what he thought could be considered touchy subjects after the earlier outburst, maybe Aomine did the same. Maybe he didn’t want to share something so personal with Taiga, who in the end was a near to total stranger that weirdly offered him dinner and a patch up after being robbed by the very guy that now sat in front of him. _Shit, after all I just am the fool that made himself be deceived in a ninety-years-old trick. He must have chosen me by something… Maybe I have a stupid face?_ Taiga was so self-absorbed that he didn’t hear the brief conversation that was going on beside him, and he woke up from his dazed state only in time to hear a hurried goodbye to the person on the other side of the phone. When Aomine turned towards him, Taiga stupidly tried to look down and hide his dumb face.

“You okay? You look a little… constipated” the dark skinned male asked.

“Yea- I’m not constipated!”

“Sure. Anyways, my friend is coming to pick me up, can you give me the address?”

“Mh-hm. Here” Taiga got up to scribble on a random piece of paper his house’s address, and handed it to Aomine. “Are… are you going to go home now?” _It’s none of your business! Stop prying!_

“No, I’m going to sleep at my friend’s house.”

“Oh, okay then.”

“Imma wait for her downstairs, ‘kay?” 

“Yeah, no problem.” _Apart from the fact that you’re going to sleep in the same bed as a probably stunning girl. Don’t I get any merit for saving your arm?_ Taiga blushed at his own thoughts, and turned to hide his tomato-red face He had no business in this: as much as he was sorry for Aomine’s family situation, he didn’t know the guy, a robber furthermore, he shouldn’t have cared or be affected by all of this. _That_ dude stole fifty dollars from him! _He_ should’ve been ashamed of himself, instead of looking at Taiga with that devious grin and those gorgeous blue eyes, so deep and piercing, and Taiga could easily imagine something else that he wouldn’t have minded if it pierced his a- _That’s enough. That’s… definitely enough._ He shook his head to clear his mind of any impure thoughts and turned again towards the bluenette , which in the meantime had put on his jacket, still stained with dry blood, and was heading to the door.

“Wait, I’m going to open the door for you. For… your arm, y’know.”

“Thanks man” The other answered. “I really appreciate what you did.” He added, bringing his good hand behind his head and nervously scratching, while also trying to avoid Taiga’s gaze. _Poor thing probably can’t wait to get out of here,_ was Kagami’s depressed thought. _Even if he’s trying to be gentle about it, I can see how much he’s looking forward to get away from me._ If their conversation was on a pretty high level of awkwardness, God didn’t know, and he just thought it would be fun to send Taiga a deadly coughing fit right when Aomine tried to continue his sentence. Trying to catch his breath, Taiga sat on the couch.

“Hey! Hey, you ok dude? Don’t die on me!” A warm and strong hand laid itself on Taiga’s shoulder, taking his breath away even more. _Why God, are you doing this to me? Is it to punish me for my thoughts earlier? Well, you’re not helping this way!_ Since just the comforting hand that now was almost on his neck, the face of the hand’s owner came in to view right in front of Taiga’s. _Like_ , their noses were millimeters apart. _Oh, give me a fucking break._

_“_ Look at me! Breathe in, breathe in!” Taiga, which was still choking on himself, tried to get out a faint _I’m fine_ ,  but the words created a knot in his throat, caused by the fit but also, a rally small part of it, by the proximity of Aomine’s body. Finally succeeding in recuperating his breath, Taiga, who’s face was by now of an undefinable color between green pease and bordeaux,  tried to talk himself out of it.

“I’m okay, I’m okay, really, it’s fine.” By now the redhead just wanted to bury himself under a meter of soil, and never come out again. He tried to keep his his head as low as possible whitout being too obvious, but due to the words that came just seconds later out of Aomine’s dark lips he understood he wasn’t doing an impeccable work.

“You sure? You look like you wanna throw up.” 

“I don’t, thank you, didn’t you have to go?” 

“Yeah, uh… I was thinking… Since I stole your money and you even cooked me dinner and patched me up, I, I just thought, you know, that I could do something, like offer you food or, I don’t know, something. As a payment.” Kagami was confused for a second.

“…Are you hitting on me?” The question came out of Taiga’s mouth with suspicion, but also a tad bit of hope.

“ _What_? No! God, no! I just don’t like to be in debt with people, much less with an idiot like you!” _Okay, you made your point._ Now that all of Taiga’s hope had been crushed, only the anger of being called an idiot continued to sustain him.

“What the fuck, just say so! And I am not as greedy as someone else, I don’t want you to pay me for being kind.”

“Well, I still feel like I’m in debt with you.” Taiga mentally facepalmed, thinking of a way to get that incredibly irritating, annoying and sinful creature out of his house. When it occurred to him, he almost thought a light bulb would have lit up above his head.

“Okay, listen here: we’re going to exchange our contacts, and when we find something for which you are not going to pay, and you are not going to or I’ll feel like a kindness slut, but where my fun is guaranteed, we’ll organize. What do you think?”

“What was that about the slut?”

“Was that all you heard from my fucking speech?!” Aomine grinned at Taiga’s exasperated tone.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, I heard. By the way, it’s fine if you don’t want me to pay, just makes it easier for me. Here, put in your number and I’ll send you a message.” The dark skinned male took his phone and handed it to Taiga, gesturing for him to take it. Kagami quickly got his number on the other’s phone, saving himself as _the redhead who saved your ass_ and handed it back to Aomine. 

“I’ll hear from you then, I guess.” Taiga said, opening the door for his guest. 

“Yeah. Thanks for dinner. Bye.” Taiga couldn’t even blink that Aomine already exited the door and disappeared down the stairs.

_Well, now I know I’m certainly going to hear from him,_ the redhead thought with irony. He closed the door, he made his way to the kitchen, and he started doing the dishes. Half an hour later, when he finished, he went to the bedroom, where he undressed and put on his pajama, which consisted in some old sweatpants and a _really_ old t-shirt. Then he went to the bathroom, where he did all of his ablutions, and then to the kitchen, where he ate another hamburger because he was still feeling a little hungry. After that, he had to brush his teeth again, and only then he finally retrieved his phone to set the alarm for the next morning. He turned on the phone and what he saw made his heart miss a beat. A message from an unknown number was readable on the screen.

 

_Do you like basketball?_

_A._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, people! Isn't it incredible that such a procrastinating person as I am updated her story in less than two weeks? So! What did you think of the chapter, was it any good? If you feel like writing it down, please do, I simply love comments.
> 
> Also, always remember that my english might not be that good and there's only so much t9 can do, so if you spot any errors don't hesitate to point them out so I can fix them!
> 
> Hope this revolutionized your lives, also know it didn't, so much love  
> Veto


	3. chapter 3

When Daiki woke up the next day, it required him a minute to understand where he was. _Oh, right. Satsuki’s house._ She had come to pick him up the previous day at the redhead’s flat, and then brought him here without even asking for an explanation. _She really is my best friend,_ Daiki thought. He had known her for all his life, and not once she had let him down.

Taking his phone from the night table, he skimmed his notification to see if he had gotten a response from Kagami. _Shit, I really need to save him differently._ The night before, after having handed his phone to the guy so he could save his number in it, he had to practically run out the house for the embarrassment: Kagami had probably tried to save himself with a phrase that would be easy for Daiki to recognize, but something must have gone wrong somewhere on the way because when he took his phone from the redhead’s hands, Daiki couldn’t decide if he was going to laugh, cry, or have a boner, so he left. _The redhead who craved your ass,_ was readable on the screen. Was this intentional? Like a message by which he was saying to Daiki that he wanted to bang him? _That would be creepy._ It was much more probable that Daiki’s phone’s auto-corrector had screwed up all by itself.

He finally got to Kagami’s answer to his late- night text: he had spent a good forty minutes deciding what should he have written to the guy. He had to do something to pay him back for his kindness and those _awesome_ burgers he made him the night before. And also, he felt like thanking him, since he hadn’t took Daiki to the hospital and hadn’t even pressed charged for the wallet thing. And that shitty bandaging too.

In the end he had gone for something he liked and that wasn’t expensive, respecting Kagami’s wish: basketball. It was easy, and Daiki could have fun playing against that stuck up city boy (not so rich, he discovered the earlier night by seeing the little apartment the redhead lived in). He only saw pros in this deal.

He opened the message, reading the reply Kagami gave him.

_Who doesn’t?_

It was short and passionate, Daiki acknowledged. Now he just had to think of something to do concerning basketball. _I didn’t think that far. Well, I’ll just think of it while I go home._ At least he could think of something that wasn’t his imminent return in that nuthouse.

He was about to get up and gather his clothes to change and get out when he felt a stirring beside him.

“Hmm. You up already, Dai-chan?” Satsuki batted her eyelashes at him, slowly waking her tired body. Her long, pink hair were sprawled all over the pillow and a pair of deep fuchsia eyes stared back at him with no shyness whatsoever.

“Yeah. Was gonna head home.” Daiki replied trying to keep a kind and cheerful tone, but Satsuki saw right through it.

“You’d love to, wouldn’t you?” Her eyes narrowed and her kind gaze turned in a vicious look. “Leaving without telling me if you saw your father last night, what were you doing in an uptown flat in the middle of the night, and what the _freaking_ fuck has happened to your arm, which by the way _I_ had to bandage, since who did the previous patch up was obviously drunk!” Her tone was raising with each word till she was practically screaming. Plus, her nostrils were fuming, and Daiki was pretty much sure he didn’t want to die on such a beautiful morning, so he resolved himself to speak, and fast.

“Yeah, dad kinda went nuts last night. And I met this guy, who was really nice and brought me to his house so he could help me with this thing.” Daiki subtly avoided to talk about the theft. Satsuki would have his ass if she founded he pickpocketed someone.

“Oh, my God, is your mom fine? We should tell about this to the police,” Satsuki brought a hand to her heart, looking shocked. “I can’t believe that asshole did this to you.”

“’S fine,” Aomine replied. “He went out after the scene, so maybe he’ll be gone for a few days.”

Daiki couldn’t say he was particularly fond of his father, but who wouldn’t be just a bit melancholy after being stabbed by his own dad? Sure, his was not the classical daddy that teaches you how to ride a bike and then treats you to ice scream, but still. To be completely sincere, he was scared to death at the thought of having to live with him again. What if he hurt his mother? Sure, not even she was the mother of his dream, but at least she knew he _existed._

“You can come and stay here if you want, Dai-chan. Mom wouldn’t mind, I assure you.” Satsuki and her mom lived alone a few blocks down Daiki’s road, and the both of them had always tried to help the Aomine family the best they could, but he couldn’t just leave his mother alone with that monster.

“No, it’s ok, I’ll just go home and sort it out. By the way,” He got up from the bed he’d shared with his best friend and started dressing. “I figured I could do something to thank the guy who helped me yesterday, and he says he likes basketball. Should I challenge him in a one-on-one?” Not receiving an answer, he turned to the girl still lying on the mattress, only to see her shocked gaze suspiciously wandering over him.

“I can’t believe it. You, _you_ of all people are voluntarily offering to pay back someone who helped you? That guy must be cute.”

“I feel like you’re insulting me.”

“You’re not denying it.” With a devious smirk, Satsuki jumped off the bed.

“It’s only right that I do something for him after he offered me his help! What’s so strange about it?”

“ _I_ ’ve helped you all my life, and you never did nothing to pay me back. What about the cute part?” Daiki sighed.

“He’s ok, I think.” _Yeah, he is. He has that cute nose and his ass was nice. And the lips. I like his lips._ “But how would I know, I’m not gay.”

“We all say that, Dai-chan.”

 

Finally entering his house door, Daiki heard a mutter come from the television in the other room. He didn’t particularly want to talk to his mother, whom has probably been taking antidepressant pills since the night before, so he tried to go up the stairs and in his room the fastest and most quietly he could. When he got upstairs he threw himself on the bed and fished out his cellphone.

In the end, he thought that a one-on-one would be fine, even if maybe not particularly thrilling for Daiki himself. Basket had been a bore since middle school, where he understood that he wasn’t going to find someone better that him. But, who knows? Maybe this Kagami guy was the best player ever, and he would defeat Aomine without a blink. _He would also have wings and spread star dust around._

He opened a new message text and stared at the keyboard for some time. _Here I go._ He typed a few words, then deleted them. He started again, but he didn’t like how this sounded either. Loudly sighing, he turned on the bed so that he would be sprawled on his stomach. Glaring at the screen, he wrote the fastest text ever, and sent it without even rereading it.

_What about a one-on-one?_

He typed again.

_If you can play_

He had to wait just a few minutes for a reply.

_Of course I can fucking play. Where and when?_

Aomine smirked at the riled up text.

_What about that court near the bridge, at 4 pm tomorrow?_

_Ding!_

_You’re on. Imma crush you._

_Don’t get your hopes to high, little boy._

It was a matter of seconds before it came another text.

_Fuck. You._

Then another.

_Harsh._

And another.

_Like you had gravel in your asshole._

Daiki just couldn’t hold it back anymore.

_Kinky, ain’t we?_

He waited for a reply while barely holding back the laughter that was building up in his chest.

_Not that way!_

_I can just see him, all flustered and shit. Man, this is hilarious._

_I bet not ;)_

_I hope you shit yourself in front of your girlfriend._

_I’d choose her nasty enough that she wouldn’t be bothered._

_You suck._

_Dicks, not really, nipples, sometime, vaginas, all the time_

Their conversation went on and on for hours going back and forth with stupid insults and lame jokes. It kept Daiki attached to the screen all afternoon, even during his cigarette break, which he normally preferred to pass with music in his headphones and nothing to disturb him.

At dinner time, his mother didn’t call him, so he went in the kitchen to see where she was, but she was like vanished. _Oh, well._ He made himself a sandwich with some old-like-your-grandma ham, I-don’t-know-what-I-am-but-I-look-like-salad something, and a bit of Neanderthal-era cheese, all specialties of the Aomine households.

_How much I fucking miss your food._

He typed and send to Kagami. _I really have to change his contact name. Or do I?._

_I’m the best, huh? Say it._

Daiki didn’t realize he was grinning.

_You wish_

_But your cooking actually is awesome._

He didn’t expect the next answer.

_What if after the match we go eat at my place? Imma cook_

Daiki looked at the text for a few seconds, not really realizing what it was saying. _What is this even meaning, shouldn’t I have to be the one paying ‘cause he helped my ass?_ He really didn’t know what to think. Before he could elaborate a more specific opinion, another text came.

_I mean, it’s not like we have to, we can just go home_

While he read the brief text, Daiki felt something stirring inside his chest: it was like he couldn’t ignore this thing like he did with most of his problem, he actually had to _deal_ with it. He was imagining Kagami reddening like mad trying not to be intrusive and cover up for his mistake. _But why should he see this as a mistake? I get to eat that fabulous food again. And c’mon, I can’t possibly ignore something that cute, he’s making me wanna cry._

_No, it’s great! Don’t go shy on me, babe_

_Would you please stop with the sexual innuendos_

Daiki could just picture a blushing Kagami on the other side of the screen: _so cute._ It was then that he heard a rumor from the upper floor. _Mom must be awake._

_Be careful what you wish for_

He typed the quick reply and swiftly gulped down the remaining of his sandwich (which didn’t taste terrible, by the way) and went upstairs to see what was happening.

Reaching the door of his mother’s room, he knocked twice before pulling the door knob and entering the dark piece of space his mom was engulfed in.

“Mom? You awake?” He whispered.

“Daiki, darling, where have you been last night?” A raspy and hoarse voice called from the other side of the room. Everything was permeated by a fusty smell, like the air hadn’t been changed in quite a lot of time. Between all the shadows that covered the room’s floor, Daiki slowly distinguished the one of his mother lying in the double bed that rested for years in the middle of the bedroom. By the stench of alcohol that lingered in the air, he was able to tell his mother had been drinking. Again.

“At Satsuki’s.” He tried to keep his voice low, so that he wouldn’t scare that paranoid wounded animal his mom was.

“Oh, that girl, such a sweetheart, doing all this for you. I don’t think you deserve it.”

_Neither do I_ , Daiki bitterly thought. “Do you need anything?”, he asked, just wanting to hide in his room again so he could tease Kagami and smoke some more.

“If you could just bring the pills in the white box that you can find above the sink in the bathroom, I would be eternally grateful to you” Daiki nodded. He went to the bathroom, retrieved the pills, and went back to his mother.

“You shouldn’t be taking those while drinking, mom. Can have a bad effect.”

She hummed, swallowing a pill in the still dark room.

“Worse than the effect your father has on this family? I don’t think so.” She took another swig of her favorite painkiller, a cheap red wine she bought for two dollars in the nearest minimarket.

Daiki hesitated a little before he voiced his next question, knowing the answer but always childishly hoping his mother would have given him a different just to comfort him a little.

“Do you… do you think dad’s gonna be sticking around?” The answer came almost immediately, even if the words started to get slurred and confused.

“You know he would leave if he had a way to support himself, and if by any chances he finds one, we’ll be more lucky than I hope we can be.”

_Wow, if I don’t have a supportive mommy. I knew it was this way, anyway._

“G’night, mom. Sleep tight.” Without waiting for an answer, he quietly exited the room and left his mother in the fake peace she’d built herself. He walked to his own room and let himself fall on the bed, being careful of his injured arm. _Man, I hadn’t thought of this. I’m sure I can beat that redhead kid with one arm, but still, what a bummer. Well, at least he won’t be satisfied if he wins._ All the events of the previous days suddenly crushed onto him, making him feel more exhausted than he has ever been. And there would have been school the next day, too, apart from his match with the city boy. Thinking about crushing Kagami the next day, Daiki fell asleep as he was, clothed and unwashed. _Imma take care of everything tomorrow,_ he thought. _Tomorrow is another day._

He was already soundly sleeping when a light appeared on his cellphone screen, proudly sporting a message from _The Redhead Who Craved Your Ass_ :

_I hope your arm won’t hurt too bad tomorrow, or you’ll be using it as an excuse for when I beat you. Try to rest it. Goodnight._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who's back with such little punctuality! I'm really sorry about that, actually. I'm just lazy, I can't help it. Anyway, this chapter is a bit of a transition one, but I hope you liked it anyway c:   
> If you're wondering, I'm just fucking up the notes because I don't know how this sites works (it is kinda alarming since I've been using it for years)
> 
> Leave a comment if you like! That shit's my fuel
> 
> -Veto

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, me again! What did you think? Might it be fine to continue? How much is a stoner Kiyoshi totally right? Please write it down so I can know!
> 
> Really hope you enjoyed
> 
> -Veto


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